VIRGINIA BEACH
A sailor assigned to a Virginia Beach-based SEAL team has died and six of his comrades were wounded in combat in Iraq, the Pentagon announced Saturday.
The slain sailor was identified as Petty Officer 1st Class Luis Ariel Souffront, 25, of Miami.
Souffront, an explosive ordnance disposalman, was assigned to Naval Special Warfare Group Two, based in Virginia Beach. His was the third combat death last week among personnel assigned to that unit.
"The water was his life and joining the Navy was his passion," said Rosanna Tejeda, one of his cousins, Saturday evening. "Everyone is at a shock and total disbelief" in Souffront's family, she said. "We have lost a precious person."
The Department of Defense said he died Thursday from wounds suffered from the blast of an improvised explosive device.
"Six other people were injured," said Lt. David Luckett, a spokesman for Naval Special Warfare Group Two, based at the Little Creek Naval Amphibious Base.
Their wounds "ranged in severity," he said, but all were successfully evacuated to military medical facilities where they are being treated and "none of their injuries are life-threatening."
The names of those who were hurt were not released, but all were members of Souffront's unit, and some of them were SEAL team members, Luckett confirmed.
Citing security concerns, Luckett said he could not say where in Iraq the incident occurred or offer any substantive details of the nature of the mission the unit was on when the blast occurred.
"They were carrying out combat operations," he said.
As a combat-support specialist, Souffront trained and fought shoulder-to-shoulder with SEAL team members.
Explosive ordnance specialists "play a critical role" in special warfare missions, Luckett said.
Such combat support personnel "go through the same training that the SEALs do before deployment," he said. They also "work side-by-side with the SEALs on the battlefield, assuming the same risk."
While they may not wear the same patches and insignia, they "are brothers in arms on the battlefield," Luckett said.
Souffront is survived by his mother and father, who reside in Miami. The family declined requests for interviews.
On Tuesday, the Pentagon confirmed the deaths of two Navy SEALs also assigned to Special Warfare Group Two.
Nathan H. Hardy and Michael E. Koch, both 29, were killed Monday in small-arms fire during anti-insurgent operations, the Navy said.
Souffront enlisted in the Navy on July 24, 2000. After boot camp, he attended several specialized training schools and completed Navy Explosive Ordnance Disposal School at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida in July 2002.
He was then assigned for two months to the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Training Unit One in San Diego and was then transferred to Guam, where he was assigned to Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five through November 2005. That month, he was transferred to the Virginia Beach-based SEAL Team.
Souffront's awards and decorations include the Purple Heart, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, two Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Army Achievement Medal, a Combat Action Ribbon, two Good Conduct Medals, the National Defense Medal, the Iraq Campaign Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, the Humanitarian Service Medal, two Sea Service deployment awards, two Navy/Marine Corps Overseas Service awards and the Rifle and Pistol Marksmanship Medals.
Steve Stone, (757) 446-2309, steve.stone@pilotonline.com
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no apologies necessary....
I think I saw where you were coming from, I didn't feel any disrespect for the young men & women doing the jobs they were ordered to do. I felt you were talking about the politics, etc., behind those orders.
comment to patriot1776
I'm sorry my comment didn't quite appear in print the way in which I intended. In NO WAY would I EVER lessen, or in any sense somehow denigrate or cheapen the ultimate sacrifice this man made. No...my comment was meant as a sad observation regarding how ill-used our armed services people are. The story regarding the convicted Army sniper also very sadly illustrates yet another serviceman's life, 'lost' in a sense, to a broader political agenda which, from the very beginnings of our involvement in the Desert Storm arena has only tended to abuse and misuse them. I am 100% for a strong, national defense. And I stand for a strong, competent, capable military. What I DON'T want to see is an incompetent, disrespectful, and patently ignorant political bureaucracy wasting our military on speculative adventuring overseas. It's time to bring them home.
Go easy!
Speaking for the eternal members of the EOD brotherhood, we all know that Luis was one Warrior that we all will never forget! As his Chief, Team Mate, and good friend I would like to personnaly send my condolences to the Souffront Family for the great loss that they are feeling right now, and send my heart and prayers to you in this great period of mourning. Please know that Luis had two great loves in his life, his Family and his Job and he was always dedicated to both. Rest in peace Luis, I will miss you dearly!
JD
little bro
hey little bro, just found out about your missfortune. my mother told me about you and i was looking forward to meet you when I PCS to VB area. see you in the next life.
and dont worry I'll stand the watch from now on.
A brave, loyal and giving young man
for all of us to be proud of.
His parents are suffering a huge loss. My sincere heartfelt thanks to them, and to him for the sacrifices he made.
God bless.
Condolences to the family.....
I agree, Wayne, it's all very sad, & I agree about soldiers being prosecuted. It stinks. How dare they second-guess anybody on the battlefield. That being said, this guy was doing a job he loved. Look at all the decorations he had. Wow! What a job he did! My condolences to his family, obviously he was a man to be proud of.
Re: Figting a war we cannot win
To the author of the comment titled "fighting a war we cannot win":
How dare you use an article about the death of an American Hero to further a political agenda. There is a special place reserved in hell for you and people like you who enjoy the freedoms given to you by men such as Petty Officer Souffront and then use their sacrifices as political leverage. Take your opinions to another forum, you absolute horror of a human being.
I hope you remember for the rest of your obviously lacking life - that every time you see an American flag, that you disgrace it with your actions. Your charachter is an embarrassment - hang your head in shame - for today you are less of an American, less of a person, than ever before.
Va Beach EOD Salior Killed
Louis was a wonderful man, friend, and EOD Tech. Our community is a small, tight family and this man was the best of the best. He will be missed forever. Thank you Louis! We will never forget you.
"In sweet rememberance of a star who fell to earth too soon"
We will miss you Louie
I never met Louie personally but we have seen many pictures and have heard many wonderful stories about this young man and his family from my son and we feel as if we know him. He was a large asset to the EOD team. It is such a sad time in America and we want to send our sincerest sympathy to all his family and friends.
Louie you will forever live in our memories. We will miss you deeply.
Fighting a war we cannot win
Let's put a perspective on the loss of this young man--he died in service to his country...sounds good, doesn't it? And it's true. However, the REASON he died was because of wounds sustained during combat operations. In a companion article in today's paper, it notes that an Army sniper is on trial for murder, because he followed an order to kill a suspected Iraqi 'insurgent'. This same soldier, the article notes, endured sustained combat operations that allowed him only 5 hours of rest in 72, notes that he and his fellow soldiers were so desperate to stay minimally hydrated that they were giving themselves IV's, and had crawled thru swamps and canals to the south of Baghdad in an effort to survive. So, we have two servicemen, both involved in combat operations in the same, general theatre of war. One is sadly killed, but the other is on trial for having 'allegedly'--perhaps mistakenly--killed an Iraqi who discovered their hiding place. Just exactly HOW do our vaunted politicians expect our combat troops to fight when, with virtually every move they make, or with every decision they make, they have to worry that they will be second-guessed by armchair experts? ...folks, it's tim